The political thought of Averroes

Document Type : Research Paper

Author

M.A. in Political Sciences

Abstract

The paper is an overview of the political thought of Averroes, a thinker who is considered as a bridge transferring Islamic sciences to the Christian world. Averroes, whose father and grandfather were mass-prayer Imam, judge, and teacher, was born in the family of Banu Rushd. This scientific and cultural family background encouraged him to study religious sciences. He also attended the educational council at Morocco, where he met Ibn-i Tofeyl. In addition, he worked hard to edit and annotate different works, including those of Aristotle’s. This gave him a good opportunity to organize his own political ideas. In sum, he is considered as a critical thinker, reviver of the PeripateticSchool, the great exponent of Aristotle’s works, philosopher, theologian, and jurisprudent who left us numerous works. Elaborating on the epistemological, ontological, and anthropological foundations of his thought, the paper also studies the roots of his thought and the relationship between religion and politics. It also deals with his view of the status of individual and society, different types of government, and the rights and mutual duties of the ruler and the people.

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